The worldwide independent music community was dealt a blow with the
announcement of the collapse of German-based manufacturer/distributor
EFA. In a letter sent out to various effected labels and individuals,
EFA stated they were forced to file for bankruptcy. The 22 year old
company claims that this comes after numerous attempts to have tried to
prevent this, including, as they state: "downsizing our staff,
restructuring all distribution methods and channels, negotiating with
third parties, particularly with several groups of possible investors,
yet - sadly - to no avail."

This could possibly be a much more powerful blow to the business
than previous collapses of other once large independent label
distributors like Cargo, Rough Trade, Bayside, and Dutch East. EFA has
a small amount of in-house labels, including Clearspot, but the bulk of
their business is through a large amount of European labels they
manufacture and export worldwide as well as North American and British
labels they import and distribute throughout Europe. Some of the past
and present labels include Accession, Anticon, Chicks On Speed, Cold
Meat Industry, Constellation, Crammed, Crippled Dick Hot Wax, Dischord,
Force Inc./Force Tracks, Gramavision, Impact, Ipecac, italic, ITN,
Kitty-Yo, Klangbad, Metropolis, Mille Plateaux, Ongaku, On-U Sound,
Payola, Plug Research, Quatermass, Rephlex, ReR, Ritornell, Saddle
Creek, Sähkö, Scape, Shifty Disco, Shitkatapult, Southern, Southern
Lord, SubRosa, Thirsty Ear, Thrill Jockey,Touch, Touch & Go,
Transient, and Tresor. Pick up a German pressed CD in your collection,
see if it has EFA printed on it. If it does, chances are that release's
entire income is controlled by EFA.

Repercussions have not begun to surface yet but don't be surprised
to see the closing of some of these labels while others scramble to get
their stock back before auction time and find other distirbutors. More
information about EFA including their history, roster, business
statement, and ethos can be found online at their website, www.efa-medien.de.